Electromyography is a diagnostic and research technique that records the electrical activity generated by skeletal muscle fibers during contraction and at rest, providing a window into the function of muscles and the motor neurons that drive them. Signals are captured either with surface electrodes placed on the ski…
Electromyography is a diagnostic and research technique that records the electrical activity generated by skeletal muscle fibers during contraction and at rest, providing a window into the function of muscles and the motor neurons that drive them. Signals are captured either with surface electrodes placed on the skin, which sample activity from groups of underlying muscle, or with fine needle electrodes inserted into the muscle, which resolve individual motor unit action potentials. The recorded patterns reflect motor unit recruitment, firing rate, and waveform morphology, allowing characterization of neuromuscular function in health and disease. Clinically, electromyography helps distinguish myopathic from neurogenic disorders, localize lesions along the motor pathway, and assess conditions affecting nerve and muscle, often in combination with nerve conduction studies. In movement and gait research, it quantifies the timing, amplitude, and rhythmicity of muscle activation, revealing how patterns differ in conditions such as Parkinson's disease or after rehabilitation interventions. The method also extends to specialized applications, including monitoring of uterine muscle activity and neuromuscular assessment during balance and functional tasks. Interpretation requires attention to electrode placement, signal processing and filtering, and the physiological context of contraction, making electromyography a versatile tool for both clinical diagnosis and the study of muscle and neural control.
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The 5 articles above have been cited 21 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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